Valley Spirit

The ill-advised precipitation of our troops upon the almost impregnable position of the rebels having resulted in a bloody repulse, and being now acknowledged as such, the Army of the Potomac has marched back over the Rappahannock, and taken up its old quarters at Falmouth. The number of our soldiers sacrificed by this movement is very large, but accurate details cannot, of course, be ascertained for several days yet, and the public will do well meantime to give no heed to the exaggerated rumors which have been so freely put in circulation.

As we suspected yesterday, the report that Gen. Banks has landed at Winton [sic] N.C., is the purest fiction. Intelligence received from Port Royal, S.C., fixes beyond a doubt the fact that he is now in the Gulf, making for some point as yet unknown.

The army of the Southwest seems to have come to a stand-still. Gen. Hovey's expedition has returned to Helena; the army of Gen. Sherman has gone back to Memphis, and Gen. Grant still rests at Oxford, Miss.

:From Fortress Monroe we have a report that a large fleet was recently seen entering the Cape Fear river, North Carolina.

One of our river steamers having been burned by a band of guerrillas at Concordia, Ark., on Monday, a week ago, a U. S. Naval despatch boat went to that town the next day and set fire to forty-two houses. The citizens of Concordia claim that they did every thing they could to prevent the destruction of the steamer. They had sent to Helena for protection, but before the return of the courier their town was laid in ashes.

The ubiquitious [sic] Alabama returned to Martinique on the 26th ult. and took in coal from a British brig lying off the harbor.

A letter from Suffolk, Va., written Sunday says that several days since Gen. Wessel left that place with his brigade for a point on the Chowan river. North Carolina, whence he effected a junction with Gen. Foster, with whom he is now concerned in an important movement against the enemy. The same letter gives an account of a heavy skirmish on the Blackwater river, at a point a mile below Zuni. The reconnoissance, for such it properly was, revealed the enemy in large force, and our men after some very plucky fighting, were compelled to fall back to Suffolk.

Intelligence received at St. Paul, Minn., on Thursday last, from Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, is to the gratifying effect that the prisoners carried of by Little Crow, have been rescued from captivity, and are now at Fort Pierre, where they will be well cared for until an opportunity is afforded of sending them home. A party of friendly Indians went to the Sauntee Camp, on Beaver Creek, where they found the White Lodge and Sleepy Eyes, with seven white prisoners, five girls and two men, one a daughter of Jacob Price, of Illinois. They offered seven horses for them. The Sauntees refused to sell thinking they had been sent by the whites. The friendly Indians told them it was either a fight or a trade--if they were not delivered up they would fight and take them and their horses. This is the story of the Indians, but it is most likely they got the prisoners without much difficulty and conducted them to Fort Pierre.

The guerilla Morgan, is again taking his walks abroad, is now reported near Jackson, Tenn., at the head of a considerable force.--Our men are said to be ready for him.

The latest reports of the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., place the rebels loss at 2 700, to which are to be added 600 deserters. An important campaign is reported to be on the tapis in this region.

The Alabama was last seen at Dominics, whither she had chased a poor little schooner, which slipped into that harbor for protection.

The rebels have appeared in Loudon Co., Va., making it extremely unsafe for Union refugees to return to their homes there.

Gen. Burnside has succeeded in withdrawing his men from their false and perilous position in a masterly manner. The pickets of the enemy were kept in ignorance of our departure until the very last moment of our trans-Rappahannock stay. Gen. Burnside in his despatch to General Halleck, states that the movement was executed without loss of life or property. Tuesday was spent in the grievous task of burying the dead. Accurate lists of our losses have not yet been forwarded. The rebels yesterday moved down into the city and extended their pickets to the river bank. The day was passed in comparative quiet.

December 19.
Yesterday the rebels sent General Burnside a flag of truce with a request that he would send men over the river to bury our dead.--This was of course done. During the truce the chief of Longstreet's artillery told some of our officers that he considered the rebel position impregnable, and that it could not be taken by half a million of men, when defended as at present. The rebel loss on Saturday was small, they being under cover most of the time. Our loss, too, is being reduced by the arrival of stragglers. The enemy took 800 prisoners, who have been paroled.

From Cairo we learn that the gunboat Cairo was blown up by a topedo [sic], 21 miles below the mouth of the Yazoo river, on Friday last. The boat irredeemably sunk, but no lives were lost.

By a private letter we learn of a repulse of our troops at Kingston, N.C., on the 13th inst. Gen. Fyster attacked that place with 15,000 men, but is said to have been driven back to his gunboats.

It becomes our painful duty to-day to record another humiliating disaster to our national arms, resulting through the intrigues and mismanagement of the War Office, as Washington. In utter disregard of the opinions of the best military minds of the country, Gen. Burnside was peremptorily ordered to cross the Rappahannock and fight the enemy in his stronghold. The result was a disastrous defeat and the slaughter of thousands of as brave troops as ever fired a musket, who fell a sacrifice to the imbecility that reigns at Washington.

This seems to be the crowning set of folly committed by the incapables at Washington since they have undertaken to control our military destinies. Commencing with the division of the Army of the Potomac into corps d'armee, and the depriving of Gen. McClellan of his position as Commander-in-Chief; the detention of McDowell's corps in the neighborhood of Washington when it should have followed McClellan to the Peninsula as had been agreed upon; the subsequent refusal to permit McDowell to reinforce McClellan at Hanover Court House, when, as McClellan solemnly swears, "Richmond could have been taken within a week;" the disasters of Pope and his retreat to the fortifications at Washington and the removal of McClellan from his command when in hot pursuit of the enemy and offering to give him battle with every prospect of success, having previously defeated him in two engagements and driven him out of Maryland, we have a series of blunders and disasters which needed only this last reckless sacrifice of human life at Fredericksburg, to stamp the military authorities at Washington with everlasting infamy and disgrace.

No one blames Gen. Burnside, for all agree that he did all that mortal man could do. He, therefore, is not responsible, his brave corps commanders are not responsible, his noble army, almost an army of martyrs, is not responsible for the awful disaster. Ordered peremptorily to cross the fatal stream to the sacrifice.

The people of the country, with an ominous unanimity, have this time located the responsibility in the right quarter and on the right parties. Two California lawyers, Edwin M. Stanton and Henry W. Halleck are the prominent actors in the bloody drama, and a weak and vacillating President, controlled and influenced by a treasonable faction of radical Abolitionists is the guilty party, who will be held responsible for the misdeeds of his subordinates before God and the country.

The people have thus far borne patiently the burdens that have been imposed upon them by the necessities of the times. They never murmured as long as they saw any hope for the country, but when they see their treasure wasted and the resources of the country exhausted in fruitless expeditions around the outskirts of the rebellion, and their brothers and sons murdered in cold blood through the incompetency of imbeciles at the head of the Government, they begin to cry enough. They demand a radical change in the policy of the Government. They call upon Mr. Lincoln to reorganize his administration on a sound, national, Constitutional platform, around which the loyal people of the whole country can rally. They demand of him to rid the departments, and especially the war department of all dibblers and fanatics who are ruining the country, and call to his aid men of sense and of patriotism--STATESMEN, who will have wisdom to comprehend the exigencies of the nation and capacity to devise means to overcome them.

Henceforth the administration will hear plain talk. The people will speak out boldly, fearlessly and to the point. There is no time left to weigh words or mince sentences. Let them cry aloud and spare not until the cry pierces the ears of our rulers at Washington and compels them to stop in their career of madness and folly which has already imperiled the nation almost beyond the hope of recovery. Perhaps our beloved country may yet be rescued from the brink of ruin to which it has been brought by political fanatics and military charlatans. God save the Republic.

On the Battle Field of Fredericksburg.
Near General Headquarters, Dec. 4.

A blood-red moon, ominous to the old soldier of succeeding battle, and a gory field illuminated the heavens on Wednesday night. During the day it became well understood that on the following morning active [illegible] operations would be commenced. No written orders were issued for the movement but the word was quietly passed around verbally. By the time "the taps" beat we had our rations prepared, knapsacks packed and every thing ready to march at command. At 4 o'clock in the morning "the reveillie" summoned us to duty. At 5 o'clock the sounds of terrific cannonading reached our ears. It seemed one incessant roar along the banks of the Rappahanock for miles and echoed from the surrounding hills. At 7 o'clock we fell in line and moved off. General Humphrey commanding Division, taking the head of the column. We were brought to a halt about a mile and a half distant for further orders. At this point we spent the night. The next morning (Friday) we were ordered to move forward to within about a mile and immediately in front of the city. We encamped in a woods and remained until Saturday morning. Your correspondent being detached on special duty with Gen. Tyler, here left the column and assumed his place with the Brigade Headquarters of the Army, formerly occupied by Gen. Sumner as his special position, but to-day taken by Generals Burnsides, Hooker and Sumner, as their main point of observation and communication. The building they occupy is a very handsome and extensive brick cottage and commands a view for many miles surrounding. Hundreds of orderlies were moving about it, arriving and departing, and the plains around, as far as the eye could reach, were covered with artillery, cavalry, and infantry. At various localities convenient the supply and ambular trains were parked. Prof. Steiner, with his balloon "Eagle," was near by making frequent ascensions. The signal corps had their quarters and apparatus stationed on a high prominence, and their flags were continually in motion, and the telegraphic communication as kept up over wires from Headquarters to the quarters of the Right and Left Divisions on the field and to Aqua Creek Landing. During Thursday and Friday, our artillery kept up a [illegible] and almost ceaseless fire on the city.--Nearly two hundred guns were brought to bear on it at one time. Finally the engineers and constructing corps succeeded, after may fruitless efforts in throwing across the pontoon bridges, and the various Grand Divisions commenced crossing. Friday night we had possession of nearly the entire town. That a terrible battle would be fought the day following was evident to every one.

Saturday morning, long before day break, the cannonading commenced again with greater fury. From this side the city was scarcely distinguishable on account of the tremendous clouds of smoke arising from the batteries, and the dense fog prevailing. It was ascertained that the enemy's works were of a formidable and almost impregnable character. He had three lines of batteries on successive elevations and a stout and almost impregnable wall of stone and earth erected miles in length. The first line of batteries were within about three-fourths of a mile of the town, and in front of this, batteries commanded the streets of the town itself and points accessible of easy attack. Thus it will be seen that our gallant men had heavy, hot and most terrible work to perform.

At 10 o'clock our Division moved towards the city. Reaching a position near Headquarters, I noticed Gen. Humphreys riding up to Gen. Hooker who was stationed with General Burnside, on the roof of the portico making observations, and after some conversation retired to his command, and proceeded at once to the scene of action. The glorious fellows were in excellent spirits, not an expression of fear escaped them. They moved off, giving cheer after cheer, and fully determined to do their duty as gallant and brave men. Presently I noticed General Burnside leap in his saddle and leave for the field at a rapid gait, he passed the boys and was instantly recognized. Cheers for Burnside then rent the air, and on they moved with a firm tread, their glorious colors floating proudly to the breeze and their bugles blowing blasts to victory.

General Burnside was soon followed by gallant "fighting Joe," there was the ruddy glow as usual on his cheek and his eye was as sparkling and penetrative as ever. Several times during the day I saw these two chieftains riding from and too [sic] Head Quarters.

The whole day long, on the right centre and left, the battle raged. The roar of the cannon and the sharp cracking of the musketry was awful, beyond description. It seemed as if all the demons of the infernal regions had broken loose in a grand carnival over some gigantic conquest. As night approached the blaze from the cannons appeared through the smoke like forked lightning in a howling storm. Deeper and deeper grew the thunder of the artillery, and quicker and sharper the volleys of musketry. Just as the Sun was lowering behind the distant hills, the gleam of thousands of bayonets, and the double quick of the men became visible. It was a gallant but desperate charge on a line of battle. The sacred heart to hope could alone refuse the utterance of a prayer for their success. But the work could not be accomplished. From the top of the wall ran one [illegible] stream of fire, sending forth death to every one who approached it. And among the brave undaunted spirits who moved forward to the capture of the works, was one whole Division, Generals Humphrey's and Tyler's in the lead. In front of our own, a Belgade had been placed in a lying position and obscured by the smoke, our men got in among them, and were for a time almost unable to extricate themselves. An order was then given, supposed to be authorized to fall back, when the whole mass moved on a retreat. This misunderstanding seemed extremely difficult to correct. Finally order prevailed and the men again moved forward, but were compelled to abandon their position before the terrible fire of shell and bullets pouring into them. It was not until some time after dark that the battle ceased. During the night there was considerable heavy skirmishing, and a renewal of the fight was looked for this morning. The days operations resulted in no special advantages to either army on the centre. Franklin on the left, is said to have pushed the enemy a considerable distance and gained a partial success. Sumner on the Right made no progress of value, but maintained his ground. I have heard no estimate of the casualties. Our number of killed wounded and missing is undoubtedly far greater than the Rebels, they being protected by the stone walls and earth works and we continually exposed to a sweeping distructive [sic] fire. On the left, Franklin took it is reported three thousand prisoners. About five hundred of them passed me this evening on their way to the Railroad, to be sent North.--I am informed on what I deem reliable authority, that the aggregate of killed wounded and missing of our Brigade, is about nine hundred and seventy-five. It is with unfeigned sorrow that I record the death of Second Lieutenant Henry Clay Fortescue, of Co "G" in our Regiment. Col. Elder supposed to be mortally wounded, but was living yesterday evening.--Capt. Deebler, Co "A" is wounded in the arm. In Co. "H" Capt. Walker and Lieut. Mackey were shot in the right breast, and Lieut. Fletcher in the thigh, neither of them dangerously. Sergt. Pumroy same company, reported killed. Col. Gregor of the 91st Regiment was shot in the hand, Major Todd, same Regiment shot in the leg and suffered amputation of the limb yesterday.

I have been making every exertion, to give you a full list of casualties in our Regiment for this letter, but have met with poor success.--There is no getting across the river, and in fact, positions there at present are neither inviting or desirable. My informant of those named is Lieut. Dull, Aid-de-Camp to Gen. Tyler, who made a narrow escape, a bullet struck the upper button of his coat, almost forcing it through. I saw the indentation, and can easily imagine the value of that button to the owner. Gen. Humphreys had two horses horses [sic] shot under him, and Gen. Tyler was shot in the breast by a spent ball.

Contrary to the expectations, there has been no general resumption of the fight to-day. To night as I write there is a brilliant display of the Aurora Borealis, the whole heavens seem to be illuminated.

SHENANDOAH.
December 15, 1862.

P.S.--I have just been among our wounded. Our Regiment has been terrible decimated, those who were not killed or wounded are entirely exhausted, and suffering from excitement and general debility. Some of the wounded are greatly lacerated in all parts of the head, body and limbs. Lieut. Fortescue was killed instantly. David Washabaugh and Frank McLaughlin, Co "A" killed in the begining [sic] of the fight. There is a hope that Col. Elder will recover, he is very badly wounded but not so bad as at fire reported. Captains Walker and Deobler, Lieuts. Mackey and Fletcher and a large number of our wounded have been sent to Washington. Whenever I can rejoin Gen. Tyler, I will sent you a full list of our losses and his official report.

Through the kindness of a friend, we have been furnished with the following extracts from a letter, received from a member of the 107th Regiment, P. V. This regiment participated in the recent battle near Fredericksburg, and, as in all previous ones in which it was engaged, distinguished itself.

Camp Near Falmouth, Va.,
December 17, 1862.

Dear _________ : Another battle has been fought on the south side of the Rappahannock. It occurred on Saturday last. It was a great struggle but was not decisive in its results, and as our position was put a good one we recrossed the river last night. Our Brigade was in the fight. The 107th took the point to which they were ordered by Gen. Gibbons, but could not hold it on account of not being supported and we were compelled to fall back. We were exposed to two heavy fires on going in, and coming out, and our loss is heavy. Isaac Noell is killed Sergeant Thomas Myers wounded. There were two wounded in our company but none killed. The Captain and myself--thank God--are safe once more but made narrow escapes. We are now about two miles from the river and I expect will remain for some time. The Rebels must evacuate this point, strong as it is. The 107th is much praised for its gallantry by all who saw it engaged.

J.A.C.
Lieut. Co. E.

Headquarters Army of the Potomac,
December 17th.

Yesterday morning, when daylight appeared, the enemy seemed to be, as they no doubt were, perfectly astonished that our army had succeeded in returning to this side of the Rappahannock.

We returned without losing a single man or a gun in the retrograde movement.

A few soldiers, who had straggled off, made their appearance on the river bank after the pontoon bridges had been removed, but they were brought over in small boats.

A few cavalrymen, who were guarding a house inhabited by a private family, were not, during the night, aware of our crossing, but in the morning they safely swam the river.

The pickets of the contending armies being separated by only a few yards, rendered it necessary that everything on our part should be conducted with the utmost caution. Those on the outpost were unaware of the movement until just before daylight, when an officer went to each individual man, and in a low tone ordered him to fall back. After they got sufficiently far off to be out of danger they were ordered to quicken their pace and reach the bridges.

At about 9 o'clock yesterday morning the enemy advanced their skirmishers along the entire line, and by noon had established their pickets near the river bank.

We had a large number of dead on what was regarded as neutral ground, and as soon as it was known that our forces had evacuated, the soldiers of the enemy commenced robbing the lifeless bodies. This was plainly seen through a field glass, as well as indistincly [sic] with the naked eye.

About 10 or 11 o'clock females, neatly dressed, were seen walking the streets of Fredericksburg. They had doubtless been concealed in their houses during the time the city was occupied by our troops, and had availed themselves of the first opportunity to make their re-appearance.

On Monday the pickets in front of the left wing agreed upon an armistice among themselves, and freely intermingled, exchanging their dead comrades who lay on neutral ground. During the time a general of our army rode by and put a stop to these proceedings. The result was that both parties immediately commenced firing, when nine of our men were killed. After the general had left the friendly relations of the pickets were renewed, and butternut and blue uniforms freely mingled.

About this time Gen. Franklin dispatched a flag of truce, which the enemy immediately recognized, and the exchange of dead bodies was resumed and continued until completed.

Yesterday afternoon Gen. Lee sent a flag of truce to Gen. Burnside, asking him to detail men to bury his dead in front of Gen. Fumner's grand division. This was done.

The wounded, with the exception of those whom the enemy obtained, have all been brought to this side of the Rappahannock, and as rapidly as possible are being sent to Washington.

During the flag of truce, Gen. Stuart, of the rebel cavalry, in answert [sic] to a question, stated that Banks' expedition had gone, South, but he did not seem to know exactly were [sic].

The entire army is now encamped on the same ground which they previously occupied. They are as comfortable, for the present, as they can be in shelter tents.

Our army has been considerably reinforced since the battle, and no danger whatever is attached to their present position.

It is the opinion of military men that, had we even succeeded in taking the first ridge of works, the opportunity for slaughter by the enemy would have been far greater than previously.

Our men, it may be repeated, behaved with the greatest gallantry, but no troops in the world could withstand such a concentrated fire of heavy or [illegible] and musketry, [sic] cover of their fortifications.

Dispatch from Gen. Burnside.
Washington, Dec. 16.

The following dispatch from Gen. Burnside to Gen. Halleck was received at 9 o'clock this evening:

Headquarters Army of the Potomac,
Dec. 16 - 6 P. M.

Major General Halleck, Commander in Chief:

The Army of the Potomac was withdrawn to this side of the Rappahannock river, because I felt fully convinced that the position in front could not be carried, and it was a military necessity either to attack the enemy or retire.--A repulse would have been disastrous to us under existing circumstances.

The army was withdrawn at night without the knowledge of the enemy and without loss, either of property or men.

Ambrose E. Burnside.